Qatar has followed the UAE’s ban on the imports of select fruits and vegetables from some countries by upping its own pesticide testing, according to reports.
The UAE ban, which is due to dangerous pesticide residues found in some produce from Egypt, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen, comes into effect from May 15.
Read more: UAE Bans Import Of Fruits, Vegetables From Five Arab Countries Including Lebanon And Jordan
Qatar publication The Peninsula reports that the country has issued a circular to all ports in the country asking them to only release consignments from Lebanon, Oman, Egypt and Jordan after pesticide analysis.
Products listed for pesticide testing in Qatar include pepper from Egypt; pepper, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, squash, beans and eggplant from Jordan; apples from Lebanon; and sweet melon, carrots and watercress from Oman.
The ministry issued a statement saying 510 fruit and vegetable samples had been analysed in the first quarter of which 67 were rejected because of dangerous pesticide levels.
Read more: Jordan Seeks Verification After Reported UAE Ban On Jordanian Vegetables
Retailers are said to be expecting price variation and shortages of some produce following the introduction of the new controls, particularly because many fruits come to the country through the UAE.
Earlier this week, Oman’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said 98 percent of the produce it sampled had conformed with international pesticide limits and it would be communicating with UAE authorities to resolve the problem.
Ministry officials later met with the UAE’s ambassador to the sultanate.
